Familiarity of the Soul
by pusa-kitty-katz
Summary: It's the school year after Sirius' death and Harry still has trouble accepting it. Could a certain bush headed friend help him trhough it? And what is the secret of the new defense against the dark arts teacher and what is it with her that makes Harry fee
1. Chapter 1

Familiarity of the Soul…

Chapter 1:

A searing pain in his forehead suddenly filled Harry Potter's thoughts and caused him to wake up from a fitful sleep. Sighing, Harry sat up and grabbed his glasses from the bedside table, sat up and massaged his forehead. Although he was used to pains from his scar, that still didn't help him from being numb to them.

Looking out the window down the quiet street that is Pivet Drive, Harry wondered for the thousand times how it would feel to be normal, in his own terms of course, because Harry Potter is definitely not normal in whatever standards. He is a wizard, studying at Hogwarts, where he finished his 5th year just two weeks ago and is about to enter his 6th year. He lives with the Dursley's, his last remaining relatives from his mother side and they hate him because he is abnormal. The Dursley's hate anything that is out of the ordinary.

OF course his abnormality doesn't end there. He is also The Boy Who Lived. When he was still a baby, Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard at that time, tried to kill him but failed. Which is why he has the lightning bolt scar in his forehead.

Harry sighed again and looked at his clock, wishing nothing else but for the night to end since he won't be getting any sleep anyway. But the clock says its only 1:30 am. Harry had a hard time sleeping since Sirius Black, his godfather died. And the continuous pains of his scar don't help with matters either. The pains in his scar only remind him of the prophecy that Dumbledore last term.

_Neither can live while the other survives._

The thought of his godfather and the prophecy suddenly made Harry feel like he was suffocating. Anxiety, fear, anger and hurt was taking the air out of him.

"I'm only 15, how am I supposed to beat a fully grown wizard, one of the most powerful and most evil one at that?" Harry muttered.

Just when he felt like he was about to explode, a tiny owl suddenly entered his window and was circling his bed joyfully as if congratulating himself. Harry squinted in the dark and recognizes the tiny own lo be Pigwidgeon, his bestfriend's, Ron Weasley's owl. The tiny own stopped in front of Harry long enough for him to get the note and started circling again.

Harry noticed the handwriting and realized it was from Hermione:

_Dear Harry,_

_I do hope you're doing all right. We're really worried about you. I know you hate it there, which is why Ron and I begged Professor Dumbledore to let you leave and stay here at Grimmauld place with us. And Dumbledore finally agreed. They're going to pick you up tomorrow! I can't wait to see you.. _

_Missing you much…_

_Love from Hermione._

Harry felt both happy and anxiety after reading the note. Because finally he could leave the Dursley's but he doesn't know if he could stand being in Sirius' home. Harry looked at Hermione's handwriting and suddenly realized something and thought.

"I really miss her"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The next thing that Harry knew, someone shaking him in the shoulder was waking him up.

"Wake up Harry"

Harry quickly opened up his eyes recognizing the sound of Remus Lupin's voice. When Harry looked up, he saw his old professor smiling at him. But then when Harry sat and Lupin got a good look at him, He saw Lupin frown.

"Are you all right? You haven't been sleeping" Lupin asked anxiously

"I'm fine." Harry said automatically

Lupin frowned and continued to look at him and Harry just stared back blankly till Lupin sighed and said.

"We're gonna take you out of here"

"We?" Harry asked

"We, meaning me, Moody and Tonks. They're both down stairs." Lupin answered.

"How are we going to go to Grimmauld Place?"

Lupin smiled lightly. "Well, since the ministry is at our side again, We're allowed to take a portkey, so hurry up and get dressed, I'll wait for you downstairs."

At that Lupin turned and headed for the door, stopping briefly to turn at Harry and give him a slight grin.

"By the way Hermione can't wait to see you" and with that Lupin headed for downstairs leaving Harry to briefly wonder about the statement and quickly dress up and arrange his things.

A little while later, Harry came downstairs heaving his trunk and Hedwig's cage with him. Tonks who was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, quickly came forward and carried Harry's trunk for him.

"Wotcher Harry!" Tonks greeted him with a smile

"Hey Tonks" Harry said

"Well, Lupin and Moody are at the kitchen waiting for us, come on then."

When Harry stepped foot in the kitchen he immediately noticed that the Dursley's were all tensed.

Moody nodded at Harry then said, "Atta Boy, you're already finished packing, we better be off" Moody muttered "Too dangerous to linger away from head quarters."

Lupin gave Harry a kettle and said, "Here Harry, it will activate in a while."

Harry turned to the Dursley's and just said "See you next summer"

With that Harry felt the familiar pulling at the navel and the next thing he knew he was in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place.

Harry suddenly felt someone hug him before he even saw the person.

"Harry! You're here! Oh I was so worried" Hermione looked up at Harry with her concerned brown eyes. Harry was surprised but happy to see her "It's great to see you too Hermione." He said suddenly feeling warm at her gaze.

After he said that, he suddenly felt aware of others' presence in the room. Harry felt someone patting him from the back and saw Ron there smiling at him.

"We missed you here mate" Mrs. Weasely hugged him too. Saying something like he needed feeding and went to the kitchen to cook him some food.

But for some reason as Harry looked around, he didn't feel like eating. He didn't even notice that Lupin, Tonks and Moody arrived. He felt the depression take him as he looked around the kitchen and stared at the door of the pantry where he had a talk with his godfather last year. But instead of seeing Sirius there, he saw a house elf, wearing a loin cloth.

Kreacher.

Harry's breathing became fast. All he could think about was Kreacher laughing after he betrayed Sirius.

"Harry Dear?" he heard Mrs. Weasely's kind and concerned voice calling him but he just can't make himself look at her, instead he said.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasely but I'm not very hungry, I'll just go upstairs."

With that Harry headed upstairs not wanting to see Kreacher, or the others' pity. He just wanted to be alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Harry had no idea how long he was there, lying on his bed staring blankly at the ceiling. He knew he shouldn't have allowed himself to lose his head like that, especially in front of everyone.

Suddenly the creaking of the door made Harry sit up on his bed. "Harry?" Hermione whispered. "Are you awake?"

A part of Harry wanted to pretend that he was asleep, but the greater part of him really wanted to speak to Hermione, so he spoke up "Yeah, Hermione, I'm awake, come in."

Hermione entered and sat at the edge of his bed, looking at Harry with a concerned expression. "You didn't have lunch or snacks, Harry, dinner's about to be served in a while, please come down and eat, we're all worried about you." Hermione pleaded

"I'm not hungry"

"Harry please, you can't spend the entire night here sulking, you've been here long enough, please come downstairs."

"I'm not hungry" he repeated stubbornly

But Hermione was not about to take no for an answer. "Harry Potter, you will come down and eat with us even if I have to call the others to drag you down there." Hermione said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"I can't" Harry whispered.

"Why not?" Hermione countered.

"I just can't Hermione, I can't! This place, this house, it remind me too much of Sirius!" Harry stood up and just glared at Hermione, who softened. "Iy's not easy being back here, Hermione! It's not bloody easy! Can't you understand that!"

Hermione's face filled with tears and started to speak. "Harry, I.."

"Don't even start Hermione, I know what you're going to say. That you're sorry, that you understand, but you don't! None of you do! Don't you get it Hermione, The person who I considered as the closest thing to my parents died because of me, and now I'm here, at his house, when all I want to do is to forget about the whole thing! Adding to the fact that Dumbledore said to me that…."

Harry suddenly stopped. Realizing that he was about to mention the prophecy. "What is it Harry?" asked Hermione, trembling. "What did Dumbledore say?"

Harry shook his head. "Nothing" Then sat back down and put his head in his gand, now realizing that he yelled at Hermione for no good reason at all.But before he could look at her to apologize, he felt her arms circling around him, hugging him tight.

"Oh Harry, I understand if you don't want to say what Dumbledore said and I'm sorry I pushed you earlier, I just hate seeing you like this.." Harry looked up and saw her brown eyes was still full of tears. Feeling guilty, Harry hugged her and said "I'm sorry for yelling, you didn't deserve that." Then he pulled away and stared into her eyes. He felt that he could get lost in them and for some odd reason, he felt butterflies in his stomach and as he took in her eyes, her lips her cheeks, Harry found herself wondering what's different about her, and what's wrong with him. Why was he feeling this?

Hermione was also staring at Harry sill crying lightly, sighing, Harry put his hands on Hermione's cheeks and dried her tears saying "Don't cry Hermione, just don't" she nodded and grabbed Harry's hand, squeezing it. "I'll help you get through this Harry, I promise." And it was at that moment when Ron entered the room saw the both of them there.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Both Harry and Hermione glanced up at Ron startled. "Oh hey mate" Harry greeted calmly, seemingly oblivious to the sudden tension in the room. "Hey" Ron said uncomfortably, looking at Hermione instead of Harry. Hermione for her part looked flushed, not wanting to meet Ron's eyes.

Harry was staring at both of them, realizing that something fishy was up. With that he broke the silence.

"I'm going to go down stairs, I'll just meet the both of you there." Harry told the two. Hermione stood up and said. "I'll come with you." But Ron lightly touched her arm "Can I talk you first?" Harry looked at one to the other and left the room, closing the door behind him.

While walking down the stairs, Harry could feel his heart beating, hard. He didn't really want to leave both of them there. Alone. At the word alone, Harry's heart sped up faster. "This is crazy", Harry muttered, "Why don't I want to leave Hermione with Ron?"

"Talking to yourself, there mate?"

"That's not very healthy now, right Fred?"

Harry saw the Weasley twins, in front of the kitchen table, grinning at him. He forced out a smile "Oh hey guys"

"Tsk tsk, you're looking pale mate, perhaps we should offer you a drink." Fred said grandly and with that George offered a glass of water to Harry. Harry, who does feel rather thirsty, gratefully took the glass and was about to take a drink when he caught the mischievous smiles on Fred and George's face. Suddenly not trusting the glass of water (or Fred and George for that matter), Harry put the cup down on the table.

"errrrmm… Suddenly I don't really feel that much thirsty anymore."

"Oh come on Harry, you do look really thirsty, a cup of water will soothe you." George said innocently. "No thanks, now out with it, what's in that stuff?" Harry asked the two.

"What are you talking about mate?" Fred asked in an innocent voice that didn't fool Harry one bit.

Harry raised his brows at the two questioningly.

George threw both his hands up and sighed "All right, all right, it was supposed to turn your gair in to different colors, but if you look at the mirror, everything's normal."

Harry grinned, for real this time, "That's rather brilliant!"

"But we still have to test it see? We just finished it yesterday." Fred told Harry

It was at that moment that Hermione entered the kitchen looking rather upset. The three looked at each other and Harry was the first to ask.

"Hermione, what's the matter?"

"Yeah Hermione, did you and Ron had a row again?" Fred asked

"What's this all about anyway?" George added. "You two have been fighting more than usual lately, I asked Ron but he always snaps and walks away."

Again Harry had that uncomfortable feeling at his stomach but couldn't understand why. The three of them was waiting for her to talk but she was just looking down, not facing any of them. A bit uncertainly, Harry asked again. "Hermione, what's going on?"

Hermione finally looked up, first at Fred, then at George and her gaze stopped at Harry and stayed there for a long time, biting her lips while looking at him. Harry's heart sped up, what could have happened to Ron and Hermione that none of them were admitting.

"Well?" George prodded

Hermione opened her mouth nervously to say something when the kitchen door opened again and Mrs. Weasely entered the room, causing Hermione to sigh with relief and The three boys to look rather irritated at being interrupted. Mrs. Weasely told them "Dinner would be ready shortly. It's noce to see that you came down Harry dear." She smiled and proceeded to the table, preparing their meal, unaware of the serious talk between the four.

After Mrs. Weasely came Remus and Tonks talking loudly about something with Moody just behind their heels listening. Harry, feeling frustrated turned to Hermione and was about to ask her to go upstairs with him to finish the conversation when he suddenly felt the funny feeling in his stomach increase.

Ron entered the room, looking at no one but Hermione, with her looking right back. The intensity of their glares made his stomach drop even further if possible. No one else noticed this, not even the twins because they now joined Remus and Tonks' conversation.

Ron turned from Hermione to Harry and pulled him aside. "Can I talk to you after dinner mate?" Harry stared at his best friend who looked unreadable and just nodded.

"Dinner's ready" Mrs. Weasely announced and at that moment Harry wished that the dinner would take all night.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dinner went too fast in Harry's opinion. Fred and George goofed off as usual, earning Mrs. Weasely's glare of disapproval. Mr. Weasely arrived just as they were starting and engaged Moody in a conversation about the problems that the Ministry is encountering and how Cornelius Fudge might be booted off the position. Remus and Tonks are still talking about such hilarious random stuff, earning Ginny's giggles in the background.

Hermione was silent. Harry noted. He was watching her from the corner of his eyes. Meanwhile Ron was just there. Miraculously not eating much, which earned Mrs. Weasely's concerned face moving back to her son from time to time.

But dinner can't last forever. No sooner people were starting to stand up. Harry stood too, wanting nothing more than to lock himself in a room and hide from Ron. He still doesn't know what's going on but that doesn't change the fact that he doesn't feel comfortable about it. So when Ron cocked his head to the direction of the door signaling Harry to follow him, Harry felt his palms becoming clammy by the minute and his legs like weights. But he followed Ron to their room and sat on his bed, watching while he close and lock the door. For a long time Ron just stood there holding the doorknob and not facing Harry, till Harry couldn't wait any longer, he broke the silence.

"What's going on mate?" At that Ron turned around unreadable, making Harry's heartbeat faster.

"Look mate" Ron started. "I'm sorry I'm not that all welcoming to you when you arrived. I was happy to see you mate, but it's just that I'm distracted."

"It's Hermione, isn't it?" Harry asked feeling that now familiar funny feeling in the stomach. "What's going on with both of you? Fred and George said you two were rowing more than usual."

For the first time, Ron started to look anxious. He didn't speak for a long time. "Ron?" Harry inquired.

"I'm in love with her mate."

Harry swallowed, hard. Not understanding why he felt so… he doesn't even understand what he feels! "Your what?" was Harry's only reaction.

"Yeah, I know. Kinda odd right?" Ron started walking back and fourth with Harry just staring at him, not knowing what else to say. "But that's not all." Ron said "I told her that, a few days earlier."

"What did she say?"

"She said… bloody hell mate, she said she doesn't feel the same coz she's in love with you!" Ron blurted out, now looking a bit desperate.

At what Ron said, Harry all of a sudden felt, light. He could breathe well again. And he felt…. Relieved…. But Ron wasn't finished yet.

"I went ballistic on her Harry. Kept trying to tell her she's making a big mistake. I said, you only look at her like she's a sister…"

Harry suddenly choked. "You said what!" Suddenly feeling at unease again.

Ron looked at Harry "Well yeah, it's true, isn't it?"

Harry started breathing fast. He started to say yes, Hermione was just a sister to him, but for a reason he can't fathom, his brain kept screaming NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Feeling a bit lost Harry started to wonder what's the matter with him. The weird feelings he have towards Hermione lately, they were well… different. He just haven't thought everything through yet.

"Harry?"

Harry looked at Ron's questioning gaze and started to tel the truth, that he doesn't know, but he can't. Bit with Ron feeling this desperate. "Yeah mate, its' true."

Suddenly a noise came from the hallway. Ron and Harry looked at each other and opened the door. Hermione was walking fast, away from their room. She heard. Everything.


End file.
